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Illinois Tethering Bill Guarantees Problems for Dog Owners

Illinois Tethering Bill Guarantees Problems for Dog Owners

1/28/10

An anti-tethering bill in Illinois creates severe restrictions for sporting dog owners. All sportsmen and sportswomen are needed to help stop this misguided bill.

Senate Bill 2580, sponsored by Senator Linda Holmes (D- Springfield), would allow a dog to be tethered outside only if a series of overzealous requirements are met. Some of these requirements include:

The dog must be visible to the owner at all times while tethered;
The dog must, at all times, have access to water, shelter and a dry surface regardless of the length of time the dog is tethered;
If more than one dog is tethered on the same property, each must have separate food and water bowls and access to separate shelter;
The lead for each dog must be at least 15 feet long.
Even if all of those requirements are met, a dog may still not be tethered between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and during “extreme weather conditions” which has yet to be defined. This and other vague language in the bill would leave the door wide open to possible harassment for sporting dog owners.

The measure provides no exceptions for sportsmen or sporting dog owners. This is despite the fact that reasonable and safe tethering practices have long been utilized by hunters and field trialers who take great care with their dogs.

“The requirements in SB 2580 are unrealistic and unnecessary,” said Jeremy Rine, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USSA) associate director of state services. “The restrictions eliminate many of the common and safe tethering practices used by sporting dog owners while at home and in the field.”

Take Action! Illinois sportsmen and sporting dog owners should contact their state senators today and urge them to oppose this measure. Tell them that the restrictions imposed by SB 2580 are unnecessary and would create serious hardship for sporting dog owners, breeders and field trialers.

--To find your state senator’s phone number and other contact information, use USSA’s Legislative Action Center.
http://www.ussportsmen.org/page.red...2288&erid=0

--this will also show you your rep. http://action.humanesociety.org/sit...lectedOfficials

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